by S. H. Kolee
I turned to see what had her so discomfited and saw Simon, sans beard, with his sunglasses folded and tucked into the front pocket of his trenchcoat. Simon gave the group an easy smile.
"Hi ladies," he greeted and then casually slung an arm around my shoulders. He cocked his head as he surveyed Marnie and Emily. "A fairy and a princess?"
Marnie nodded vigorously. She was decked out in a green dress that bowed out in a skirt that resembled petals. Her costume was completed with a pair of wings that hung a bit haphazardly on her back. Emily was dressed normally, wearing jeans and a short-sleeved pink sweater.
Emily gave Simon a confused look. "I'm not a princess. I'm not wearing a costume."
Simon winked at her. "I know a fair maiden when I see one."
Emily flushed pink, clearly pleased with Simon's compliment. Emily was usually reserved around new people, even more so than me, but I could see her falling under Simon's spell. I was partly amused but also steeled myself against Simon's easy charm that touched everyone. I needed to remember that words of honey seemed to drip easily from his lips. I had to be careful not to take them to heart.
Simon kept his arm around my shoulders. "Do you mind if I steal Caitlin for a moment?" Both Marnie and Emily's faces fell in disappointment but they nodded their heads. I inwardly smirked at their reaction. They seemed crestfallen to lose his company, not mine.
I looked up at Simon as he drew me away towards the kitchen. I had been hyper aware of Simon's movements during the party. Instead of mingling from group to group, he stood in one place and the other students seemed to be drawn to him. He laughed easily and loudly, engaging in conversation with everyone around him. People just gravitated towards him and Simon didn't seem to think twice about it. He was probably used to the attention. He had caught me staring at him a couple of times, which had been mortifying, so I had forced myself to stop searching him out in the crowd. Consequently, his approach had been a surprise.
"Do you need something?" I asked as we entered the kitchen. Plastic cups were scattered on the counter along with crumbs. I started collecting the cups and cleaning the counter when Simon stopped me with a hand on my arm, turning me around to face him.
"I was just getting tired of the crowd so I thought I could get a little breathing room in here. And I couldn't think of better company than you."
I ignored the last part of his comment and narrowed my eyes. "All the adulation getting to you?"
Simon grinned. "Even us rock stars need some alone time."
"So what am I doing here?"
"I'd rather be alone with you than alone on my own."
I shook my head at Simon's nonsensical explanation but smiled. Even though he was flirting, it seemed harmless. Not the intense interest he had shown earlier. "Thanks, I guess?" I indicated his missing beard. "I see that the beard didn't last too long."
Simon rubbed his jaw. "I couldn't take it anymore. It was driving me crazy. And then of course Marcus took his off when he saw I wasn't wearing mine." He smirked. "Grant is annoyed because now he just looks like a homeless guy that needs a shave."
I laughed at Simon's explanation. "Poor Grant."
Simon fingered one of my cat ears, a smile still lingering on his face. "I'm driving down to Connecticut next weekend. It's my sister's sixteenth birthday."
"That's nice," I replied. He had spoken a little about his sister, Kendra, before. It sounded like they were pretty close even with a five year age difference. "Is your family having a party for her?"
"Yeah, they're throwing her a pretty big shindig." Simon lowered his hand, casually tucking my hair behind one of my ears. "Do you want to come?"
"Where?" I asked stupidly. Of course I knew where. I just didn't know what else to say so I bought time with a guise of confusion.
"To Connecticut."
"Um." I could feel my face getting hot and I warned myself not to read too much into his invitation. "Thanks for the offer. But I'm working next weekend." I paused. "Is Grant going?"
"Yeah," Simon replied, dropping his hand to his side. He studied my face and I forced myself to stay expressionless. "I was thinking that if you could come, we could invite Sarah too. Marcus can't go because he finally has a soccer match and he said Jenny promised to cheer him on during the game. Can't you get someone to cover your shifts?"
"Well," I began slowly. Now that I knew that he wasn't inviting me exclusively I breathed a little easier. I told myself that I didn't feel any disappointment. "I'm not sure. I guess I could check."
Simon looked hopeful. "We could leave Friday night and come back Sunday afternoon. I can show you around my hometown."
I smiled at his enthusiasm but I still wasn't convinced that going to Connecticut was a good idea. Now that I seemed to be having visions with regularity, the last thing I wanted was to freak out at Simon's house. I was sure his parents wouldn't be too happy with him bringing a strange crazy girl home. "I'll check but I can't make any promises," I warned. "But thanks for the invite regardless."
A couple stumbled into the kitchen, interrupting us. The girl was dressed as a rabbit with ears and a poufy white tail, although with her white leotard and fishnet stockings she looked more like a Playboy bunny. The guy was just dressed in black. I had overheard him earlier telling people he was a shadow. They were both obviously drunk as the girl giggled and the guy grinned crookedly as he wrapped his arms around her and they started making out. They seemed oblivious to us.
Simon raised an eyebrow and shot me an amused look. "Why don't we let Hugh Hefner and company have some privacy?"
"Good idea," I replied. I let Simon guide me out of the kitchen with a hand on my elbow, stepping past the couple who were now making some X-rated sounds as they groped each other. I just hoped that they weren't actually going to do the deed in the kitchen. I didn't want to imagine the clean up involved.
Simon and I continued into the party that was now in full swing. I had anticipated a full house but not the crush of people who had maneuvered themselves into our apartment.
Simon guided me near a window that had been opened to allow some cool air into the warm apartment. He bent his head down so that I could hear him above the noise of the party, his lips brushing my ear. I shivered at the contact, hoping Simon didn't notice. "Do you want me to get you a drink?"
I nodded so that I didn't have to yell to be heard.
"Be right back."
I watched Simon make his way across the room, often being stopped by people to talk. I turned around and faced the window, the air cooling my face. I wondered whether I should seriously consider going to Connecticut with him. I knew that it was a dangerous idea, but a part of me argued that it was harmless. It wasn't as if we would be going alone to his parent's house. Grant and Sarah would be coming along. And as much as Sarah had insisted earlier that she wasn't paying Grant any attention during the party, I had seen her with him tonight as they walked around the party as if they were a couple. I knew she would be ecstatic to go home with Simon since Grant lived so nearby. We had never visited Grant in his hometown. I think he had never invited us because he had been wary of us running into Cara since she attended school there.
My mind was weighing the pros and cons when I suddenly felt the cool air wafting from the window become hot. It felt hot enough to almost singe the hair on my arms. I peered into the night, wondering where the hot air was coming from. I could feel the heat making my eyes start to water. I started thinking that it wasn't a good idea to be in front of the window when I felt a rush of searingly hot air that seemed to punch me in the face, its force pushing me back and making me stumble. I grabbed the edge of the window ledge to catch myself from falling when I heard it. A thready voice filled with pain.
Help me.
I sucked in my breath and steadied myself, leaning closer to the window. Was someone out there in trouble? I couldn't see anything in the darkness of the night so I turned to walk to the door to check outside when Simon appeared before me.
; He handed me a glass of punch. "Here you go." His forehead creased as he got a good look at me. "Are you okay? Your face looks flushed." He narrowed his eyes. "How many drinks have you had?"
"Good grief," I replied, rolling my eyes. "Only two, Dad." I raised my hands to my cheeks, feeling them burning hot. Was it from the hot air that had rushed over me? So it wasn't my imagination. "I think there's someone outside who needs help."
Simon's eyebrows came together. "What do you mean?"
I walked past him towards the door, setting the glass of punch on a side table. "I heard something." I didn't want to give any further explanation because I wasn't sure what I had heard.
I stepped outside the front door and heard Simon follow me. I leaned over the railing of the stairs, craning my head around the corner of the building where the window was, trying to see anything in the darkness.
"Caitlin," Simon said impatiently. "Be careful. You're going to fall over."
I ignored him and bent over more. I looked down at the ground below the window. Since we were on the second story, it was hard for me to see anything. I wondered where the hot air could have come from since we weren't on the ground level and the building next to us had no windows on the side.
Simon grabbed my arm, pulling me back. "Am I going to have to carry you back in?"
I turned to him, annoyed by his high-handedness. "I heard something. I'm just going to check downstairs."
I heard Simon sigh but I was already making my way down the stairs. I heard his footsteps follow me. He mumbled something, sounding disgruntled, but I couldn't catch what he said. I turned around sharply at the bottom of the steps, causing Simon to almost bump into me.
"I didn't ask for your help, did I? So stop your complaining and go back upstairs." I was feeling tense and anxious and I didn't need his griping. Now that I was removed from the party and out in the night air, I felt unease building in me. Even so, I would have rather been alone than have Simon mutter about me acting irrational, which I was sure he was doing.
I could barely make out Simon's face in the darkness of the night, but I could see the determined glint in his eye. "Sorry. I'm not letting you run out here like a crazy person getting yourself hurt."
I made a sound of exasperation and turned around, walking to the side of the apartment building. I stopped at the spot that was below the second story window. I looked up and could hear the faint sounds of the party drifting down from the open window, as well as the shaft of light. I looked down around the grass that was between our apartment building and the one next door but I couldn't see anything unusual. It was hard to see anything at all since the only light was coming from our window on the second floor.
I took a deep breath, feeling the tension dissipating. I had just imagined it. Maybe I should really stop drinking, even though I only had two like I had told Simon. I turned back to him with a sigh. "Never mind. Let's just go back inside."
Simon raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, following me back up the stairs to the party.
"There you are!" Sarah exclaimed when I entered the apartment. She saw Simon entering behind me and gave me a curious look but just grabbed my hand. "It's time for Jenny's cake."
I let her lead me into the kitchen, not looking behind me to see what Simon was doing. Fortunately the amorous couple from earlier was no longer there.
Sarah and I pulled out the large cake we had gotten for Jenny from the refrigerator and inserted twenty-one candles. It was a large sheet cake so fortunately there was plenty of room for them.
We were in the process of lighting the candles as fast we could when Marcus ambled into the kitchen. His face brightened when he saw the cake.
"Cake time!" he exclaimed.
"Can you go and turn the music and lights off?" Sarah asked as she lighted the last candle.
"You got it," Marcus answered, striding back into the living room. A few seconds later we heard the music stop and saw the living room go dark. Sarah and I carried the cake into the living room, each of us holding a side.
"Happy Birthday to you!" we started singing. The crowd joined in and I heard Jenny's squeal of delight as she walked up to the cake. She was grinning from ear to ear as we all sang Happy Birthday to her, her face illuminated by the candles on the cake.
Help me.
I blinked at the strained voice. The cake with tiny flames of fire, Jenny's happy face, the enthusiastic singing of the crowd - they all became a blur as I concentrated on the voice that was full of pain and pleading.
Help me.
I frantically looked around the room. People's faces were illuminated eerily by the glow of the candles, their mouths open as they sang. They resembled ghouls with the exaggerated grins on their faces as their mouths gaped open and closed in unison as if they were a frightening synchronized lynch mob, pressing close to me.
I glanced over at Sarah and she was smiling widely, oblivious. Didn't she feel the danger? I felt myself starting to get frantic.
I could barely hear the birthday song in my panicked state, so I was taken by surprise when Jenny leaned down when it ended and blew out the candles, throwing us in almost complete darkness. The only faint light was coming from the kitchen behind us. Everyone started yelling and clapping, but instead of jubilation in their voices, I heard threatening jeers.
I was about to lose it. I was going to drop the cake and run like a banshee screaming. I loosened my hold on the cake, not caring about the aftermath. All I could concentrate on was getting the hell out of there.
Suddenly, the lights flicked on. I looked around and my fear dissipated as the faces that had looked threatening just moments before were now smiling and laughing, with no hint of malice. I saw Jenny smiling, thanking us for the cake and the happy chatter of the crowd around us.
What was I thinking? Why was I letting my imagination run wild? I stared stupidly at Jenny when Sarah's voice entered the fog of my thoughts.
"Caitlin?" she asked with a frown.
"What?" I answered, breathless.
"I said let's take the cake into the kitchen and start cutting it." Sarah looked concerned. "Didn't you hear me? I said it to you twice but you were just spaced out."
I shook my head to clear out the remaining fog. "Sorry. Maybe I had a few too many drinks." Sarah didn't need to know I had only drank two cups of punch. Thankfully she didn't question me any further and we walked back into the kitchen. We were cutting the cake and placing portions onto paper plates when Simon walked in. I glanced up and then looked back down, concentrating on slicing the cake into equal portions.
"Are you okay?" he asked me, standing close.
"Yeah, why?" I didn't look up, keeping my eyes on the cake. I felt Sarah look up.
"You seemed kind of panicked when we were singing Happy Birthday. Like you were scared something was about to happen."
"You did seem kind of weird," Sarah added. Great, I didn't need her to jump on the bandwagon. "I kept saying that we should take the cake back into the kitchen to cut but you just stood there like you couldn't hear me."
I shot out a breath of impatience, still not looking up from the cake. "I'm fine, guys. Really. It's just hot out there with all those people and I think I was getting overheated."
Sarah shrugged, seeming to accept my explanation, and went back to plating the pieces of cake but Simon continued to stand next to me. I could see his jeans and black boots in my peripheral as I kept my neck bent, concentrating on the task before me.
I finally looked up and saw Simon watching me, his blue eyes seeming troubled.
"Simon, I'm really okay," I reassured him. It was disconcerting that he wouldn't readily accept my excuse. Sarah had, and she knew way more about me than he did.
"If you say so," he replied, not sounding convinced. I forced a smile, trying to mask my anxiety. I couldn't think about what had just happened. I would think about it later, when I was alone with my thoughts. If I started considering that I was truly going crazy now, I would burst into tea
rs.
"I think that's enough pieces of cake for now," I said, turning my attention back to Sarah. "Let's go put them out on the table."
Simon helped us bring out the plates of cake and place them on the table in the living room, but I felt his eyes on me as if he was trying to figure me out. The last thing I needed was for Simon to size me up.
I forced myself to be cheerful for the rest of the party, moving from groups of people and laughing, making jokes. I still felt Simon's eyes following me, but every time he caught my eye, I just smiled as if I was having the time of my life.
It was finally time to head down to the East End. Jenny was determined to drink legally at the bar and the Henchmen would be performing. I tried to convince myself that it would be the perfect end to the night.
We made our way to the bar; a jovial horde of people laughing and having a good time. Most of the partygoers were headed to the East End, although the crowd was smaller as some of our guests had decided not continue the night at the bar. Marcus, Grant and Simon had already headed down earlier to get ready and I walked in step with Sarah and Jenny.
"This is the best birthday ever," Jenny announced excitedly. "The party was awesome. Thanks guys."
"No problem," Sarah replied with a grin. "Maybe you'll get a birthday kiss from Marcus."
"Ha!" Jenny scoffed. "If I waited around for him to kiss me, I'd probably have grey hair and a cane." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. She definitely had drank her fair share of punch. "Maybe I'll make the first move."
"I don't know whether Marcus would keel over in shock or jump your bones," I said with a laugh. "I don't think his system could handle that much sensory overload since he's been pining away for you for so long."
Jenny grinned mischievously. "I guess we'll see."
We walked into the East End after greeting Charlie and was enveloped in the jostling crowd. Even though tomorrow was technically Halloween, most people were celebrating tonight and I saw plenty of costumes, ranging from outlandish to clever.